Personal Finance & Frugal Living

Tag Archives: frugal christmas

The holiday season has officially begun with the hustle and bustle of retail shopping, pulling the boxes of decorations from the garage, and families planning their seasonal meals (now if California would just drop below 78° so I could light the fireplace).

But are you nervous about spending money during the holidays? Well, if so, you are not alone. While retail sales are showing a promising sign this year, it’s my gander that people are putting a more conscientious thought into their purchases. It just means there is a frugalite in training – taking that hard earned money and finding the best buy.

A frugal holiday can still be high in cheer if you think like a pioneer, plan the holiday budget, instill some frugal fun, research some great sales and take up that free shipping. Yup, free shipping! Read all the way down for details. Check out my giant holiday post.

Pioneer Christmas

How do you have a real frugal Christmas? Think back to how our Old West ancestors celebrated – with a Pioneer Christmas.

Taking the consumerist out of the season is not easy. I really had to consider this one. With everyone so geared to opening retail gifts, is it possible to have an enjoyable simple holiday with our loved ones?

Well, I am willing to try! Here are some tips to bring you back to the roots of celebration:

Cooking all day. There is nothing better than having the family cook a great big meal together. It’s especially great at my aunt’s house because we cook Filipino, Mexican and a traditional American meal.

Use natural materials found anytime of the year, such as evergreens, pinecones, holly, nuts, and berries. The great Adirondack Christmas – simple, natural, and cozy.

Decorate the tree with ribbon, yarn, berries, popcorn or paper strings, and homemade decorations. Sounds like a great craft for the children to string popcorn or berries! My daughter and I are making colorful paper chains this year.

Give gifts of jam, preserved fruits and vegetables. If you are a crafty, make gifts of dolls, sachets, knitted scarves and hats. Gift making was a craft that lasted through the year in the pioneer days. Since I have not been so crafty this year, the farmer’s market and craft fairs will make a great place to stock up on gifts with love. Time to ponder on next year’s gift giving list.

Sing carols with friends and family around the Christmas tree or fireplace. I remember as a child, we used to take hayrides around the neighborhood to sing Christmas carols. What fun! Does anyone do that anymore?

Christmas Budget Worksheet

You may start realizing, as Christmas dawns, that you forgot to get a gift for Aunt Sallie or Uncle Bob. If you don’t plan accordingly, the holiday “forget me’s” can’t wreck serious havoc on your finances. Save the stress and have a merry holiday by using the Christmas Budget Worksheet by Simple Living.

Advent Calendar

With all the hard work that goes into preparing for the holiday. Make it shine each day with opening a small give from the advent calendar. Yes, even adults can enjoy a bit of chocolate or a script of love.

Last year, I finally remembered to buy my daughter an advent calendar before they were sold out. Trader Joe’s sells a great chocolate candy advent calendar every year. But, I wanted to craft an advent calendar so I could have to take out each year. So, bring a bit of frugal happiness to a person each day in December by creating a matchbox advent calendar. Those small pieces of left over scrapbooking paper or gift wrap now have a purpose!

Plan a Christmas Dinner on a Budget

Whether you plan to host a few friends or a large gathering of family members, planning a Christmas dinner requires some thought, and a little creative shopping. Fear not. Following these tips will allow you to plan a Christmas dinner on a budget.

Host a potluck. Big gatherings can be expensive. Especially when everyone has a hearty holiday appetite. To stay in budget, our family hosts a potluck. The hosting family will provide the main course – usually a turkey or ham. Then family members will bring all the side dishes and desserts. It works out great, as there are always tons of left overs to take home.

Change the main course. A traditional thanksgiving dinner may not always the frugal choice. Consider mixing up the menu to fit within the budget. Most people will welcome the change. With my family, there is no shortage of ethnic flare.When it comes to holiday gatherings we have lumpia, enchiladas, mochi, adobo, sashimi, and a traditional turkey dinner (p.s. I have a large family and that sashimi is fresh, as my uncle is an avid fisherman).

Check out your cupboards. Plan your side dishes by checking out your cupboards. If you have a can of green beans, a green bean casserole could be a start. Or a can of chickpeas, you can easily make hummus for a starter. Then start looking at your grocer’s sale ads to start saving on the other necessary ingredients.

Free Shipping Day 2010

On Friday, December 17, an estimated 1,000+ participating merchants will offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve. Check out Freeshippingday.com for more details.

I may be freaking out about Christmas, but something is different this year.

As I was walking through the Christmas filled aisles of my local Walgreen’s drugstore I realized I was NOT infatuated with the Christmas consumerist buzz this year*. No more rose colored glasses honing me in with my “oohs” and “ahhs”. I was asking myself as I passed the aisles of plastic garland, cheap ornaments, Snuggies, cheap lotions and perfume, specialized coffee machines that only use one kind of pod, “who needs all this stuff?”. I can make ornaments with flour, salt and water, string up colored paper chains, wrap my self in a comfortable throw blanket, and sip on some home brewed coffee from my old school coffee maker or French press. Gadget-smadgets! It’s just a consumer’s society to produce ‘stuff’ and take our money.

I want to have a real Christmas with homemade ornaments that make wonderful keepsakes, the smell of home baked cookies, peppermint bark, and breads that make wonderful Christmas gifts, cinnamon-vanilla lattes to bring warm-fuzzies, and seasonal holiday get together’s with my friends and family.

So, I am freaking out because I haven’t planned my calendar or made my lists; what cookies and breads to bake, what day to have a Christmas get together (tis a potluck gathering for a frugal fun day), when we are going to take our family’s Christmas photo (matching reindeer sweaters? LOL. Just kidding), and when I will be able to steal my quiet time with my husband to enjoy cinnamon-vanilla home made lattes in front of the fireplace while watching a White Christmas (I have a thing for Bing Crosby’s talent).

Don’t get me wrong, I do plan on buying gifts for family and friends. In fact, I already picked up one of my daughter’s gifts this weekend (and keeping within budget – thank you). But there are things I am going to differently this year.

owning my money this season and staying within my budget

if I need to make gifts more abundant or have a last minute gift outside my budgetary range – time to whip up the good ole’ home baked sweets and adorn with a bow & tag

making sure the holiday season is about family and not the glitter-n-shopping factor

keeping to my gift list and not being persuaded by ads (unless I can get a better price on my listed item)

making a donation to the city’s mission service to help feed the homeless

finding frugal and fun ways to have a happy holiday season – the city’s tree lighting ceremony, listening to the high school choir sing, building paper chains with my daughter, watching Christmas movies in the living room with the family

I know it can be tough to stay away from the glitter-n-shopping factor! There is some really pretty stuff out there. But help yourself out – throw away the ads after you’re done skimming them, stick to your guns, take up Enemy of Debt’s Christmas challenge, and read these great posts to stay on your DEBT-FREE mission! 🙂